Allergic
asthma
relief

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published
8:00 pm EDT, Tuesday, May 22, 2007

"It was very scary," said Triquina McKitric. The allergy-induced asthma attacks her son Micah was experiencing were frightening, even to her, and she's a nurse. She found herself always watching for the first indication one might be coming.

From the time her oldest son was born, Triquina McKitric stocked the house with nebulizers and inhalers. She took Micah for allergy shots. She was obsessive about keeping him away from anything that might trigger an allergic reaction. But nothing really worked. It affected the whole family.

"It played a big role" in how the family operated, said McKitric, who also has a younger son with asthma. "I couldn't go out because he couldn't go out."

Micah, 13, had his own problems with the asthma. It meant he had to stay inside, away from friends who were playing and having fun.

That is until 10 months ago, when Micah started taking what experts say is a breakthrough drug for treating allergy-induced asthma: Xolair. He spent a recent afternoon so distracted by playing that his mom had to call him inside.

"Football, basketball and little bit of soccer," are the things Micah ticks off as his new favorite pastimes.

"It's the first thing that we've seen that kind of takes a new direction. It kind of leapfrogs into a new category of treatment," said Tringle.

Unlike other allergy medicines, Xolair blocks "IgE" or immunoglobulin E. In most people, IgE occurs naturally in small amounts.

But when people with allergies come in contact with their particular allergic trigger -- cats, dogs, pollen -- a chemical reaction occurs that over produces IgE, causing breathing troubles and asthma attacks. Xolair blocks that production and can be used by those older than 12.

The drug has been on the market for about four years but has yet to reach the public awareness of well-known allergy drugs like Claritin.

Physicians are still learning about the effects of Xolair, said Dr. John Hill, of Lexington's Allergy Asthma Physicians of Central Kentucky.

"It appears to be a very good medicine," said Hill, who is part of a study monitoring the effectiveness of the drug. "We've not had significant reactions. Most people are very happy about it."

There have been a small number of patients who experience breathing problems for up to two hours after receiving the medicine, which is taken by injection every two to four weeks. Because of that, Hill said, his Xolair patients must stay at his office for two hours after getting an injection.

He also said that Xolair, manufactured by Genentech, should be considered only for those with the worst symptoms of allergy-related asthma.

Because of the cost of the drug, which varies depending on the size of the patient and the dose needed, some insurance companies must be persuaded to cover the costs.

One of the reasons the allergy foundation is excited about Xolair's potential is that allergy-related asthma is a more serious health problem than many people think.

The illness is complex because it involves allergies, a disease of the immune system, and asthma, a disease of the lungs, said Tringle.

Asthma is difficult to treat because "not everyone experiences the same symptoms," said Dr. Sheryl Lucas, an allergist at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic in Washington, D.C. Plus, she said, people tend to ignore allergies until they turn into something more serious, such as asthma.

In the United States, allergy-induced asthma accounts for 14 million missed school days, one-fourth of all emergency room visits and 500,000 hospitalizations a year, said Tringle.

About 4,000 people die of asthma each year. During the last 20 years, Tringle said, studies have shown that the incidents of asthma have doubled.

There are several theories about the rise of asthma, although a clear scientific cause hasn't been found, Tringle said.

One theory ties the rise to the overall worsening health of Americans, including the rise in obesity. The body, Tringle said, is like a machine. Being overweight puts stress on its function, including the lungs and the immune system.

Another theory is that because of scientific advances, more people are being made aware that they have allergies. But awareness doesn't always equal action, said Lucas of Kaiser Permanente.

Unfortunately for Micah, he was born with severe allergies and asthma. But since starting the new treatment his life has changed dramatically. His mom can't remember when he last went to the school emergency room.

"I don't even worry anymore," said Triquina McKitric, who lives in Lexington but whose parents keep Micah during the week in Mercer County, where he attends Kenneth D. King Middle School. "It's been a total 360-degree turn."

Tringle and Lucas urged allergy and asthma sufferers to seek help to improve their plight. While there is no cure for either disease, there are many ways to treat symptoms.

The first step is a talk with your primary physician about options. Micah's mom, who works in an allergist's office, did a lot of research before starting her son on Xolair, which is covered by her insurance.